Imâm al-Bukhârî (may Allâh have
mercy on him) reported in his Sahîh that ‘Ā’ishah (May Allâh
be pleased with her) said: “I heard the Prophet
saying: ‘Spirits are like conscripted soldiers; those whom they recognize,
they get along with, and those whom they do not recognize, they will not get
along with.’” (Sahîh
al-Bukhârî,Kitâb Ahâdîth al-Anbiyâ’, Bâb al-Arwâh junűd
mujannadah).

Ibn Hajar (May Allâh have mercy on
him) said in his commentary on the hadîth: “Concerning the phrase ‘Spirits
are like conscripted soldiers…’ al-Khattâbî said: ‘This may refer to
their similarity as regards good or evil, righteousness or corruption. Good
people are inclined towards other good people, and evil people are similarly
inclined towards other evil people. Spirits feel affinity with others according
to the nature in which they were created, good or evil. If spirits’ natures
are similar, they will get along, otherwise they will not be on good terms with
one another. It could be that what is being referred to is the beginning of
creation in the realm of the unseen when, it is reported, souls were created
before bodies, and used to meet one another and express their pessimism about
the future. When spirits have entered bodies (come to the physical realm) they
may recognize one another from the past, and may be on friendly terms or
otherwise based on that past experience.”

Someone else said: “What it means
is that when spirits are created, they are made in two parts, and when the
bodies in which the spirits reside meet in this world, they either get along
together or do not, based on the way in which these spirits are created in this
world.”

I say that this is not contradicted
by the fact that some people who do not like one another at first may get along
well later on, because the hadîth is probably speaking about the moment
of first meeting, which has to do with the original creation and nothing else.
If they dislike one another at first but later come to like one another, it is
because of something new, a new quality that makes them love one another after
the initial dislike, such as a kâfir becoming a Muslim or a sinner being
reformed.

The phrase “conscripted soldiers”
refers to different types or classifications, or groups brought together. Ibn
al-Jawzî said: “What we learn from this hadîth is that when a person
finds that he feels dislike towards someone who is known to be virtuous or
righteous, he should try to find out the reason for that so that he can make the
effort to rid himself of something undesirable. The opposite (if a person finds
himself liking someone who is known to be evil) also applies.” Al-Qurtubî
said: “Although they are all spirits, they differ in different ways, so a
person will feel an affinity with spirits of one kind, and will get along with
them because of the special quality that they have in common. So we notice that
people of all types will get along with those with whom they share an affinity,
and will keep away from those who are of other types. [“Birds of a feather
flock together” – Translator]. We may also note that within any given group
or type, people may get along with some and dislike others, and this is in
accordance with issues or qualities that form the basis of love or hate.”

We have narrated a mawsűl
report in Sunan Abî Ya’lâ, at the beginning of which is the story
narrated from ‘Amrah bint ‘Abd al-Rahmân, who said: “There was a woman in
Makkah who liked to joke, and she came and stayed with a woman in Madînah who
was like her. When ‘Ā’ishah heard about this, she said, ‘My beloved
spoke the truth. I heard the Messenger of Allâh
saying…’ and mentioned a similar hadîth.”

The hadîth was also narrated
by Muslim in his Sahîh, 4773. Al-Nawawî said: “With regard to the
words of the Prophet ,
‘Spirits are like conscripted soldiers; those whom they recognize, they get
along with, and those whom they do not recognize, they will not get along with’,
the scholars said that the meaning is groups gathered together, or different
types. As for them getting along, this happens because of something in common
between them that Allâh has created. It was said that they are similar
attributes that Allâh has created in them, or that they were created in a group
and then dispersed in their bodies, so people who have similar characteristics
will like one another, and those who do not have similar characteristics will
not like one another. Al-Khattâbî and others said: this getting along with one
another has to do with what Allâh decreed from the outset about the ultimate
destiny of spirits, whether they will be among the blessed [in Paradise] or the
doomed [in Hell]. Spirits are of two opposing kinds, and when they meet in this
physical world, they will either love or hate one another depending on the way
they were created. Good spirits will be inclined towards other good spirits, and
evil spirits will be inclined towards other evil spirits. And Allâh knows best.